2010 Camry Tire Valve Stems

[siennavan]

After looking over my new 2010 Camry, I realized the tire valve stems had built in pressure sensors. I became concerned on how to service a tire with these valves. I normally take a leaking tire to Town Fair Tire, where they pull out the old stem, fix the leak, and install a new stem. Now with these special stems, do I have to take the car back to a Toyota dealer for a simple flat repair? I found out the price for one of these Toyota valves is about $125 plus labor to install one. They cost more than the tire itself. The Toyota parts department said they do not sell the core alone, only the complete assembly. I suspect Town Fair Tire would have to remove the core to let the air out of the tire instead of just breaking off the entire stem. If they do this, and damage the core (Valve), I would be out at least $150.00. Why can't the core valve be replaced alone if it should leak? I have a feeling I will be paying more for valve stems than I will for replacement tires during the life of the car. What kind of life can I expect from these "smart" valve stems? This sure is a money maker for the dealership.

[zppeacock]

The cores do come out of the stems. I mount these type of tires at work weekly. You just cant use the tire iron by the valve stem or you risk damaging it.

[siennavan]

Are the cores (Valves) in the 2010 Camry standard valves that can be replaced locally if they leak air? The Toyota dealer does not sell the valve cores alone. They only sell the complete valve stem for about $125. My concern is that if an independent tire dealer removes the core to release the air before repairing a tire, and it somehow gets lost or damaged, can it easily be replaced locally?